Late
by Eugena
Summary: After Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tosen defect from Soul Society, Hitsugaya must pick up the pieces of Matsumoto. Toshiro/Rangiku, Gin/Rangiku.
1. A Final Birthday Present

Bleach © Kubo Tite

**Late**

A Bleach Fanfiction By Eugena

Rated: M

_After Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tosen defect from Soul Society, Hitsugaya must pick up the pieces of Matsumoto. Toshiro/Rangiku, Gin/Rangiku._

**Chapter One: A Final Birthday Present**

Rangiku Matsumoto begins another day at her sink. Sick. Her best friend, who once gave her a day to celebrate her birth had walked away yet again. In the pit of her stomach, she could not quell the loneliness that swelled up.

Rangiku retched again.

"Rangiku?" her taicho called through to her.

She felt so sick she wanted to cry. Her grief overwhelmed her.

She wiped her mouth and opened the door. She tried to give Toshiro a warm greeting, but nothing came from her lips.

"Rangiku." His voice again. He had never seen her like this before. He held his arm out to support her. "Come, let's go see Unohana Taicho."

She tried to speak, tried to do anything but think of Gin. Yet to no avail, all of her moments with him came back to her. She turned away from Toshiro, not wishing him to see her cry.

His arm caught her waist. "Rangiku, if you can't trust me, who can you trust?"

She allowed him to take her weight, the closest thing she could do to speak. He smiled at her, and the genuineness of it broke her heart. She would never see Gin smile again.

Gin never smiled like that. No matter where their relationship went, Gin would have never been like that. _Gin . . . ._

Her mind dwelled on the past as Toshiro picked her up and whisked her away towards the Squad Four barracks.

**oOo**

By the time Toshiro arrived, Rangiku had lost consciousness. On his way there, Yachiru had seen them and had followed them. "What's the matter with Rangi?" Yachiru asked.

"I don't know," Toshiro answered as Unohana Taicho came over to them. "She's been very sick."

"Don't worry. Hanna will get her better."

Toshiro carried her over to an empty bed, worrying over her pale face.

Unohana placed a hand on Rangiku's forehead. "So many strange things have begun to happen since Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tosen betrayed us."

"Ichimaru betrayed her most of all," Toshiro said.

**oOo**

Yachiru had left Squad Four to return to Kenpachi and inform him of Rangiku. "Rangi" as Yachiru called her often spent free time with the reapers of Squad Eleven.

**oOo**

Toshiro withdrew to a place within himself to talk to Hyorinmaru.

"Are you prepared for the truth, Toshiro?" Hyorinmaru asked him.

"What do you mean?" he asked. "Do you know something about this?"

Hyorinmaru's icy breath washed over him. "If you were older, you would make the same guesses I would. Yet I do not need to guess. I sense it already. What is your loyalty to her? How far will it go?"

"She is my fukutaicho, and I am her taicho. I will not stand by and let her be hurt."

"You are too late to stop it all, but perhaps you can quell her pain for the future."

**oOo**

Unohana Taicho woke Toshiro from his state. "Hitsugaya Taicho, I have discovered what troubles her."

His eyes widened. "Is there a cure?"

"It depends, captain. This is difficult. I must talk to you alone." She signaled to the members of her squad in the room. The members and her lieutenant left the three in privacy.

"Normally, this is something she would tell you herself, but I must since she is not awake. She is pregnant, Hitsugaya." She allowed the news to sink in. Toshiro felt sick. Although he was not completely surprised, he still did not want to believe it. Hyorinmaru was right. Had he been older, more mature, he might have asked her about this before involving another.

"She is most likely sick from stress, and this could be good news. But I will not pretend not to know the father."

"What do you mean?" he demanded, sick at the unspoken thought between them.

"I will leave it up to you as to whether you or I should tell her."

"Thank you," he said and stood up quickly. "Please let me know when she wakes."

**oOo**

He did not wait for her reply. Instead, he rushed back to his office, the whole time trying to drown out Unohana's words. He would not accept such an explanation. He would not acknowledge the name of the man she did not speak of.

_I swear it, I will kill you._


	2. Thinking of You

Disclaimers, etc., see chapter one

**Late**

A Bleach Fanfiction By Eugena

**Chapter Two: Thinking of You**

Rage burned in Toshiro's heart. He tried not to remember the many times that Gin Ichimaru had visited the Tenth Squad. "_Was it then?"_ he would ask himself each time he thought of a visit. _"Did they ever . . . ?"_ he didn't want to fill in the blank. Never wanted to ask, "Did they ever have sex in my barracks?" The thought of it alone sickened him. He never really liked Ichimaru and not at all after he became a traitor.

He tried never to think of Matsumoto's _personal_ life. He'd always suspected she'd end up with Zaraki or Madarame after becoming drunk in one of their many drink-a-thons. Well, perhaps not Zaraki. He could hold his liquor. Even though he was a ruthless fighter, Hitsugaya could never imagine him taking advantage of a not-so-sober Matsumoto.

But Ichimaru didn't need her drunk. No, he was sure of it. Of her own free will, she had always chosen him. And he remembered . . .

**oOo**

**SEVERAL MONTHS AGO – SQUAD ELEVEN BARRACKS**

Zaraki took Matsumoto on. Granted, with his spiritual power severely restricted. As a "thank you" for looking after Yachiru many times, he had decided that whenever he got bored, he would spar with her. Who knows, maybe Zaraki would learn the name of his zanpakto, or Matsumoto would achieve bankai. Anyone would have to in order to stand up to a full powered Zaraki. Hitsugaya watched, as he had many times before. Weary that Zaraki might accidentally increase his power and harm Hitsugaya's favorite (and only) fukutaicho.

This time, Momo Hinamori stood beside Hitsugaya, watching the match. "Matsumoto-san sure is improving, Lil' Shiro," she said.

"Don't call me that," he warned. "It's Hitsugaya _Taicho_."

"Yes, sir," she complied, bored. "Aren't you impressed with her improvement, Taicho?"

"I'd expect only the best from her—and you," he added.

"Still," Hinamori said a bit sadly, "she's lucky to get the attention of a taicho."

"Oh?" he asked, thinking she meant Zaraki, "I suppose you want me to spar with you too?"

"No, no," she said. "I mean it's not that I wouldn't—I mean that's not what I meant." Hitsugaya would not be able to understand. Yes, Matsumoto had Zaraki's attention, but there was one other taicho who gave her the type of attention she could only dream of from her own taicho.

"Well, well, what are we up to, kids?" Speak of a devil, it was Ichimaru. He walked up to Hitsugaya and Hinamori, his eyes in their usual slit. He made Hinamori's skin crawl. She wanted the type of attention he gave, but _certainly not_ from him. What did Matsumoto see in him?

"I see that this is where you've been hiding my Rangiku, Captain. I've been looking for her."

"She's in plain sight," Hitsugaya countered quickly. "You should watch her." He hated saying that last bit. Yes, he wanted to show her off and boast of her prowess, but he'd rather Ichimaru left.

"Thank you for inviting me, taicho," he said and turned his attention to Matsumoto.

He enjoyed watching her, almost seeing each of her movements before she made them. Yes, she was predictable. Well, perhaps not. It was just that he knew her so well, so intimately. She fought with Zaraki for a long time, expertly countering several of his blows and dodging the others. Finally, she had reached her limit, growing more tired and Zaraki nearly struck her.

Ichimaru had leapt down and picked her up before the blow landed. Granted, Squad Four could have healed her, but as long as he was watching his Rangiku, not a scratch would come to her.

"Impressive, Rangiku," he said as he held her in his arms.

"Captain . . . ." she stammered, tired from the fight, not noticing that Hitsugaya had been only a little behind Ichimaru in the same rescue attempt.

He lowered his mouth closer toward her ear. "I've missed you."

He put her down hesitantly, reluctant to let go of her. "If I made you my fukutaicho, we could spend more time together."

Hitsugaya became furious. He wasn't sure what to say, but he did not want to remain silent. Zaraki interrupted his thoughts.

"You alright, Rangiku?" Zaraki called from far behind them.

"Yes, Zaraki Taicho," she answered. "It was a good fight."

"Anytime, but you shouldn't push yourself too far." Zaraki had sheathed his zanpakto and walked over towards them. Yachiru was not far behind.

"That was a great fight, Kenny," she said. "You've really gotten better, Rangi," she said to Rangiku.

"Thanks," she said to both of them.

"Matsumoto, are you free this evening?" Ichimaru asked.

"Yes, Ichimaru Tai—"

"Then I will see you this evening," he said interrupting her. As he walked past her, he allowed his hand to brush against hers.

By this time, Hinamori had already joined the group. At hearing Ichimaru's words, Hinamori` blushed, her mind wandering to the implied promise behind his words.

"Matsumoto," interrupted Hitsugaya in a firm voice, "I believe we have several things to go over."

Her nervous smile fell from her lips. "Yes, Captain." She turned again to Zaraki and the others. "Thank you again, Kenpachi," she said, not used to referring to him by his first name, "Yachiru. I'll see you later, Momo."


End file.
